Marshall Lawrence "Doctor of the Blues "

Biography
"... It's still delta-style country blues, but new. In fact, I think Lawrence is following in the footsteps of some very important artists like Bernie Pearl and Corey Harris and Taj Mahal in the way that he is at once historical musicologist and contemporary interpreter...." The Sunday Night Blues Project

"Marshall Lawrence plays the blues under the blue skies of a perfect summer Saturday at Conibear Park. Lawrence wowed the Friendship Festival crowd with his unique blend of acid blues." Slave River Journal August 18, 2009

Marshall Lawrence has the distinction of being a "Maple Blues Award Nominee" and a "Canadian Independent Music Award Nominee". As such, a driving force has emerged on the Canadian blues scene. Marshall Lawrence is taking traditional blues styles and infusing them with a raw, fiery energy. His music has been described as delta-style country blues with a raw edge and an acid twist for the 21st century.

The Blues has long been recognized for its healing properties, but not a lot of Blues players are actual doctors. Marshall Lawrence is called ‘The Doctor of the Blues’ for good reason – he’s a bonafide Ph.D, holding a doctorate in psychology. “Ironically, a fan laid the nickname on me, but he didn’t know that I actually have a doctorate,” says Marshall.

His first album,‘Where’s the Party’, released in 2003, is a reflection of his journey through the Blues that culminates in those same healing properties. “My original reaction to the Blues was strictly visceral,” he explains. “I’d been through Hendrix and rock and funk, but the Blues is what grabbed me inside.”

As a result, Marshall has matured into a performer who brings a variety of influences to his stage show. Energy is perhaps the most recognizable element, and one of his styles lays in his ‘speed guitar’ technique that includes influences derived from bluegrass mandolin work. The technique has had an influence on my blues playing,” he says.

Marshall includes that same technique in his acoustic playing, which is prominent on his new album ‘The Morning After’, released in 2008. “I put ‘Where’s the Party’ together as the first of a blues duo,” he says. “The Morning After" is all acoustic material, and features more original material.”

Marshall's third CD, "Blues Intervention", another acoustic blues offering featuring more original tunes, is recorded and is scheduled to be released Summer/Fall 2009.

Marshall Lawrence "The Doctor of the Blues" is sure to fill your Blues prescription to cure whatever ails you.

** MARSHALL LAWRENCE VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/user/marshalllawrence

** AWARDS/HONOURS

Maple Blues Award Nominee - New Artist/Group Of The Year

Canadian Independent Music Award Nominee  - Favourite Blues Artist Group or Duo of the Year

Toronto Exclusive Magazine Award Winner - Best Provincial Male Blues Artist 

Toronto Blues Society "Blues Summit IV" Selected Showcase Artist

Toronto Exclusive Magazine Award Nominee - Best Provincial Blues CD Album  “The Morning After”

Toronto Exclusive Magazine Award Nominee - PROVINCIAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR

"The Morning After" has charted at #1 on Canada's Roots Music Report - for radio play on several months

"The Morning After" has charted in the Top 10 on Roots Music Report - Roots Blues - for radio play

"The Morning After" has charted on Roots Music Report - Roots Blues - for radio play - for over 30 weeks and counting

"The Morning After" named "Best Acoustic Release - Canada" by Blues Underground Network

"The Morning After" named one of the Top 20 Best Blues Albums released in 2008 by Norman Davis - "Midnight Flyer" Blues Radio Show - KKIT-FM, Taos, NM; KEGR-FM, Concord, CA; KYOU.com, San Francisco and FatMusicRadio.com

** ENDORSEMENTS

Rocky Mountain Slide Company has developed a Marshall Lawrence Signature Model Guitar Slide for distribution and sale

Marshall received a guitar slide endorsement from Rocky Mountain Slide Company

** FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES

Beaumont Blues Festival
Beaumont, AB

Main Street Blues Festival
Vancouver, BC

Mid-Winter Blues Festival
Edmonton, AB

East Coulee Spring Festival
East Coulee, AB

South Slave Friendship Festival
Fort Smith, NWT

Wild Mountain Music Fest
Hinton, AB

The Works Art & Design Festival
Edmonton, AB

A Taste of Edmonton
Edmonton, AB

Spruce Meadows Bluegrass Festival
Calgary, AB

Canadian Rockies Bluegrass Festival
Nordegg, AB

Rombs Annual Country and Bluegrass Jamboree
Fairview, AB

Great Canadian Barn Dance
Hill Spring, AB


** TELEVISION APPEARANCES

Winter Blues - Help TV
Edmonton, AB


Instrumentation
Marshall plays National Resophonic guitars, Morgan acoustic guitars, Gibson Mandolins, and, Banjo.

Discography
Marshall Lawrence Releases

Where's the Party? (2003)
The Morning After (2008)
Blues Intervention - release date Summer/Fall 2009

Both CDs are available on:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/marshalll
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/marshalll2

Marshall Lawrence appears on the following CDs:

"All For You" (2008) - Woodbend
(Marshall Lawrence plays bluegrass mandolin on all tracks)


Links

http://www.doctorblues.com

Marshall Lawrence Videos